Playlist update corresponding to playback queue modification

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for updating a playlist that has been added to a playback queue in response to changes to the playback queue. The playback queue may be associated with a zone of a network media system such that items in the playback queue are to be rendered by the zone. The playlist may include one or more items playable by the zone, and may be stored separately from where the playback queue is maintained. Embodiments are also provided for updating a playback queue in response to modifications to a playlist included in the playback queue.

We claim: 
     
       1. A media system comprising:
 a playback device; and 
 a controller device; 
 wherein the playback device is programmed with the capability to:
 add, to a playback queue associated with the playback device, one or more identifiers of one or more first media items, wherein media items identified in the playback queue are available for playback by the playback device; 
 receive, from the controller device, a first instruction to add one or more second media items identified in a playlist to the playback queue associated with the playback device; 
 in response to receiving the first instruction, add, to the playback queue associated with the playback device, one or more identifiers of one or more third media items corresponding to the one or more second media items identified in the playlist; 
 modify the playback queue in a manner that results in the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue becoming inconsistent with the one or more second media items identified in the playlist; and 
 in response to modifying the playback queue in the manner that results in the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue becoming inconsistent with the one or more second media items identified in the playlist, transmit, to the controller device, a second instruction to modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue; and 
 
 wherein the controller device is programmed with the capability to:
 transmit, to the playback device, the first instruction to add the one or more second media items identified in the playlist to the playback queue; 
 receive, from the playback device, the second instruction to modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue; and 
 after receiving the second instruction, cause the playlist to be modified such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein transmit, to the playback device, the first instruction to add the one or more second media items identified in the playlist to the playback queue comprises:
 transmit, to the playback device over a local area network, the first instruction to add the one or more second media items identified in the playlist to the playback queue, 
 and wherein transmit, to the controller device, the second instruction to modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue comprises: 
 transmit, to the controller device over the local area network, the second instruction to modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       3. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue are stored on a computing device. 
     
     
       4. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein the playback device is programmed with the capability to:
 store the one or more first media items identified in the playback queue and the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue on a computing device. 
 
     
     
       5. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein modify the playback queue comprises at least one of:
 add one or more identifiers of one or more fourth media items to the playback queue, 
 remove at least one of the one or more first media items and at least one of the one or more third media items from the playback queue, or 
 re-order the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       6. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein the playback device is programmed with the capability to:
 receive, from a computing device, a third instruction to modify the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       7. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein the playback device is programmed with the capability to:
 receive, from a user interface of the playback device, a third instruction to modify the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       8. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein add, to the playback queue, the one or more identifiers of the one or more third media items comprises add, to the playback queue, one or more uniform resource identifiers (URIs) corresponding to the one or more third media items to enable retrieval of the respective one or more third media items. 
     
     
       9. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more second media item identifiers and the one or more third media item identifiers are the same. 
     
     
       10. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more second media items identified in the playlist are stored on at least one of (i) the controller device or (ii) a computing device. 
     
     
       11. The media system of  claim 1 , wherein cause the playlist to be modified such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue comprises:
 modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       12. A method comprising:
 adding, by a playback device of a media system to a playback queue associated with the playback device, one or more identifiers of one or more first media items, wherein media items identified in the playback queue are available for playback by the playback device; 
 transmitting, from a controller device of the media playback system to the playback device, a first instruction to add one or more second media items identified in a playlist to the playback queue associated with the playback device; 
 receiving, by the playback device from the controller device, the first instruction to add the one or more second media items identified in the playlist to the playback queue; 
 in response to receiving the first instruction, adding, by the playback device to the playback queue associated with the playback device, one or more identifiers of one or more third media items corresponding to the one or more second media items identified in the playlist; 
 modifying, by the playback device, the playback queue in a manner that results in the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue becoming inconsistent with the one or more second media items identified in the playlist; and 
 in response to modifying the playback queue in the manner that results in the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue becoming inconsistent with the one or more second media items identified in the playlist, transmitting, by the playback device to the controller device, a second instruction to modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue; 
 receiving, by the controller device from the playback device, the second instruction to modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue; and 
 after receiving the second instruction, causing, by the controller device, the playlist to be modified such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein transmitting, from the controller device to the playback device, the first instruction to add the one or more second media items identified in the playlist to the playback queue comprises:
 transmitting, from the controller device to the playback device over a local area network, the first instruction to add the one or more second media items identified in the playlist to the playback queue, 
 and wherein transmitting, from the playback device to the controller device, the second instruction to modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue comprises: 
 transmitting, from the playback device to the controller device over the local area network, the second instruction to modify the playlist such that the one or more second media items identified in the playlist become consistent with the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue are stored on a computing device. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 storing the one or more first media items identified in the playback queue and the one or more third media items identified in the playback queue on a computing device. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein modifying, by the playback device, the playback queue comprises at least one of:
 adding, by the playback device, one or more identifiers of one or more fourth media items to the playback queue, 
 removing, by the playback device, at least one of the one or more first media items and at least one of the one or more third media items from the playback queue, or 
 re-ordering, by the playback device, the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the playback device from a computing device, a third instruction to modify the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a user interface of the playback device, a third instruction to modify the playback queue. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 12 , wherein adding, by the playback device to the playback queue, the one or more identifiers of the one or more third media items comprises adding, by the playback device to the playback queue, one or more uniform resource identifiers (URIs) corresponding to the one or more third media items to enable retrieval of the respective one or more third media items. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more second media items identified in the playlist are stored on at least one of (i) the controller device or (ii) a computing device.